I Have a Call Back Interview? How Do I Nail It?

How to Present Your Best Self in the Second Round

Imagine that you are at home after another long day of sending in job applications and attending interviews. Dinner is quickly approaching and you are debating whether to have food delivered.

Suddenly, your phone rings. You glance down at the number on the screen. Your palms begin to sweat, but you know that you have to pick up. You take a deep breath and then answer the call with a simple hello. The phone call is from your dream organization. Apparently, you intrigued your interviewer so much so that the company wants you to come back for another interview.

So, what does this mean exactly?

When an employer calls you back for another interview it is because they know you can do the job, but, they want to make sure everything will be just right! Callback interviews are more challenging because the employer has gained a significant amount of facts about you from previous run-ins. In other words, any doubts that this prospective employer may have about you will be reevaluated carefully in this upcoming interview. Now it is just a matter of whether your personality will effectively sync up with the work environment and the company culture. Here are ___ concrete tips to help you make sure that it does!

#1 – Dress the Part

To feel like your best self, you have to look like your best self (as much as you possibly can). It is highly recommendable that you do not look worn out. Dress the part accordingly. Now is not the time to slack off with your appearance.

#2 – Fake It ‘Til You Make It

After all the job-hunting that you have been conducting, your energy levels tend to die down. Therefore, fake it until you make it. No one should know how exhausted you are with the job process. It is best for you to stay positive and well mannered during all of your interviews. It will be worth the wait once you secure an amazing job position.

#3 – Research and Prepare for Interviewer Questions

Make a note to prepare for the onset of questions by mentally assessing your prior meetings with this particular organization. Who did you meet and what did they ask? What did you say and ask? It is crucial that you follow the same line of inquiry, but additionally, talk about talents and expertise that were not mentioned in earlier meetings.

#4 – Research and Prepare Your Questions to the Interviewer

At this point, you can begin to have your own questions about fit and professional development. As you prepare for your callback, you should scope out this potential employer as much as much it is scrutinizing you. Without meaning to, you begin to question whether or not you should work here. Furthermore, if this is your first or only callback interview, you may feel more tense than normal. Regardless, stay the course, and prep for being on both sides – prep for questions from your interviewer, and prep for questions you need to ask your potential employer.

However, remember, this is still not the time to let your guard down. Further, save all of your no-no questions for a post-offer Q&A session.

#5 – Prepare a 30-60-90 Day Plan

Another helpful way to land a job is by showing the prospective employer that you can adapt nicely and will bring value from your first few days. Have a brief outline of what you will do during the first, second, and third month of your new job post. As you discuss these new ideas with your interviewer, highlight and emphasize your talents.

Also, be sure to inform the possible employer that you are ready to begin work as soon as possible. If appropriate, briefly touch upon your intended transition plan (if you are employed). You can mention how much notice you will give to your current employer and how you plan to finish last minute tasks.

#6 – Be Engaged – Show Intellectual Curiosity and Enthusiasm

Highlight your intellectual curiosity. Be light about the questions you ask the different interviewers. Callback interviews aid you immensely in learning about the institution’s responsibilities, culture, and future.

Although it may seem like a smart idea to ask the difficult questions during a callback, the organization may perceive it as you being hesitant or uninterested. This potential employer should remember you by your eagerness to get started, not by the objections you may have (Ceniza-Levine).

Remember, the employer liked what they saw earlier when they ask you back for another interview. As a result, employers have greater expectations in callback interviews because you will be compared against a much smaller pool of other talented, great candidates. Now, with the callback interview, it is your opportunity to demonstrate the best that you have! It is an opportunity to seal the deal! Even though nothing beats a first impression, your second and third impressions help create the overall feeling of what the employer thinks of you and will lead you to an offer if favorable.

With these tips, show your potential employer that you bring value and can learn and adapt much better than your competition. Nail that callback interview and win the job!

Lexacount Search is a boutique recruiting and staffing company, focusing on permanent placement for legal and accounting professionals. We place attorneys, paralegals, accountants, and contract specialists with law firms and corporations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and nationwide. Equidistant from New York and Washington, D.C., our offices are located in suburban Philadelphia. Our search consultants have a range of experiences as lawyers, paralegals, law clerks, accountants and accounting clerks. These backgrounds make our consultants uniquely qualified to match your skills and career goals with permanent positions with our clients. Whether you are a lawyer, paralegal, law clerk, accountant, accounting clerk or other skilled professional, Lexacount will provide you with a variety of available career opportunities.